Middle Schools for Cap Hill

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:i think jefferson is really improving with 4 solid feeder schools and more and more in-bound kids attending but people (especially at brent where jefferson has long been regarded as a no) dont see it (or the full potential there) yet

I think for a long time parents at Brent have had decent alternatives that weren't that hard to make happen. But MS charters are getting harder and harder to get into as more parents stay in DC past elementary. Tuition at privates gets more onerous every year. Even moving to the suburbs starts to look less appealing because close-in suburbs around DC are getting pricier and if you own a row house on the Hill, moving to Fairfax or Bethesda for the schools is not the obvious option for some that it might have been 10 years ago.

So as these options close, I do think you'll see more families giving Jefferson a try. It's the same thing you've seen with public elementaries on the Hill.

The one thing that does not seem to sway people to send their white kids to these overwhelmingly black schools? The Rosa Parks and MLK quotes on their yard signs

I'm not seeing a good parallel between a few more UMC families giving Jefferson a try and parents trying public elementaries on the Hill. At the rate we're going, Jefferson's demographics won't look like Maury or Brent's for at least half a century. No definite honors classes, or a transparent system for high-performing students to access them, and further change can only come at a snail's pace.

I agree. Also the stakes are much, much higher in middle school than elementary. Huge difference between taking a chance on 2nd-3rd grade vs 6th- 7th grade.

[Anonymous]

What exactly is a “definite” honors class? Jefferson definitely does have advanced math for students who perform above grade level. And for the rest of the core classes, Jefferson seems to do a good job of placing kids at similar levels in the same cohort.

- Signed a current Jefferson parent who “took a chance” with the school and am extremely happy that I did.

[Anonymous]

No thanks. Seems to do a good job of placing kids at similar levels in the same cohort doesn't cut if for this New Yorker of color from a low-income background. I attended a test-in city middle school/high school.

My kid has seldom been challenged at his DCPS elementary school. I'm tired of being his tutor/teacher and won't risk more of the same for middle school. We don't plan to stay in DC public schools after elementary.

[Anonymous]

NP. OK, let's say Jefferson Academy works out. What next? What are you going to do for high school if you can't afford a private and your kid doesn't get into Walls?

If we don't get a spot at BASIS or Latin 2 for 5th grade, we're hoping for DCI because they have a decent high school. Seems like a much safer bet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NP. OK, let's say Jefferson Academy works out. What next? What are you going to do for high school if you can't afford a private and your kid doesn't get into Walls?

If we don't get a spot at BASIS or Latin 2 for 5th grade, we're hoping for DCI because they have a decent high school. Seems like a much safer bet.

Banneker and McKinley. We are planning to look at Gonzaga as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What exactly is a “definite” honors class? Jefferson definitely does have advanced math for students who perform above grade level. And for the rest of the core classes, Jefferson seems to do a good job of placing kids at similar levels in the same cohort.

- Signed a current Jefferson parent who “took a chance” with the school and am extremely happy that I did.

I am curious how Jefferson places students of similar "levels" in the same cohort?

There are so many ways this could be done, and Jefferson had best be transparent about it.

Do they?

--give a placement test in ELA and Math ahead of 6th grade sorting into cohorts?
--Use PARCC scores from previous years to aid in leveling?
--Use teacher recommendations from Elementary school?
--Wait until school has been in session for a while and then sort according to performance on formative tests in the classroom?
--use a "gut instinct" on which kiddos are at the same level?
--use parent requests?
--another method I haven't thought of?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NP. OK, let's say Jefferson Academy works out. What next? What are you going to do for high school if you can't afford a private and your kid doesn't get into Walls?

If we don't get a spot at BASIS or Latin 2 for 5th grade, we're hoping for DCI because they have a decent high school. Seems like a much safer bet.

DCI is a really good option if you can get in. They are moving fast on an upward trajectory and their PARCC scores are approaching pretty close to Latin, much much better than Eastern or Jefferson. In addition, unlike Basis or Latin, they have a larger student population with a host of extracurriculars so your child would get more of a typical middle school experience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP. OK, let's say Jefferson Academy works out. What next? What are you going to do for high school if you can't afford a private and your kid doesn't get into Walls?

If we don't get a spot at BASIS or Latin 2 for 5th grade, we're hoping for DCI because they have a decent high school. Seems like a much safer bet.

Banneker and McKinley. We are planning to look at Gonzaga as well.

Banneker for a white kid? OK, but there are just a handful. Same for McKinley Tech. Our shy kid wouldn't do well as one of the only white kids. SAT scores at Banneker and McKinley are awful for "elite" test-in magnets.

Gonzaga runs you 25K and we couldn't pay that for 2 children, even if both were boys.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP. OK, let's say Jefferson Academy works out. What next? What are you going to do for high school if you can't afford a private and your kid doesn't get into Walls?

If we don't get a spot at BASIS or Latin 2 for 5th grade, we're hoping for DCI because they have a decent high school. Seems like a much safer bet.

DCI is a really good option if you can get in. They are moving fast on an upward trajectory and their PARCC scores are approaching pretty close to Latin, much much better than Eastern or Jefferson. In addition, unlike Basis or Latin, they have a larger student population with a host of extracurriculars so your child would get more of a typical middle school experience.

Dci tracks. They get input from feeder schools as well as do baseline testing.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:OK, I'm hoping this thread won't derail into the same Cap Hill middle school drama. Anyone whose kids are at Jefferson right now?

I’m a current parent of a student at Jefferson who came from Brent. My observations so far:

- There is definitely advanced math, with a small set of sixth graders in seventh grade math, and so on.

- For the rest of the core classes (ELA, science, etc.), it appears that higher performing kids are placed in the same cohort together.

Happy to try to answer any specific questions.

Can anyone say how the advanced Spanish classes are going at Jefferson (geared towards Tyler Spanish immersion students) and what percent of Tyler kids immersion and not immersion went to Jefferson this year?

The classes are not advanced in Tyler so doubtful.

So you have no idea?

Not PP but if the feeder school kids are weak, why would you think the Spanish classes at Jefferson would be rigorous, especially since it’s a poorly performing school overall where overwhelming majority of kids can’t even master English?

Ok so Tyler has a Spanish immersion program...and yes the kids in the program probably do not have extremely high levels of Spanish for an immersion program, but they have higher levels than kids who have never taken Spanish. I attended a meeting where the Jefferson principal had talked about the Spanish teacher tailoring classes for the Tyler Spanish immersion students coming to Jefferson and I was asking if anyone knew how that was going. Instead I had two people who have no idea just come on to insult actual people and students in the program/school.

Okay so your logic is that if you attended Tyler Spanish, your Spanish is better than someone without any Spanish education?

I am a Spanish tutor. Every kid at Tyler Spanish that I knew was frantically playing the lottery. My kids got in, I toured it, and it was not impressive.

If you’re serious about Spanish basically any other school is preferable. If you’re not serious about Spanish, why are you wasting your time with a program that is that weak? Wouldn’t it be better to focus on English or Math than wasting time?

Spanish teacher “tailoring classes” for Tyler Spanish kids sounds weak. Is it Spanish literature? Is it Spanish writing? Kids who went to a rigorous Spanish immersion school have no business in Spanish classes.

So the kids that were seeking out Spanish tutoring weren't doing well in Spanish - hmmm what a surprise! Spanish immersion programs are difficult for kids that don't have any other background in Spanish - that is universal in all dual language programs. There has also been some interruption in some of the grades at Tyler with not having a spanish teacher for an amount of time I gather as well, which is definitely not great for a kids Spanish. But we are a Spanish speaking family at Tyler (and very serious about Spanish) and very happy with what we have seen so far (early elementary). Teachers speak almost 100% in spanish (which is not a given in many programs) differentiation is there for many levels. Yes many kids do not speak much spanish at this level, but that is totally normal. There are also many that do (usually the ones that have a particular talent for languages). Our kid is reading and writing in Spanish with little supplement at home besides talking and reading to him. So glad this school is available in the neighborhood rather than schlepping our child across the city (which we had the option to do). I think the Spanish classes at Jefferson are a nice progression for many of the kids coming from Tyler and maybe could lead to AP Spanish or something like that in high school.

I don’t tutor kids that don’t speak Spanish well. I tutor those that want instruction on writing and grammar. I am not wasting my time with kids who can’t speak it already. You’re in early elementary. Wait around a bit, you’ll see what I mean.

There are charters and some dcps who do speak quite fluently by 1st grade. It is absolutely not normal to not speak it by then. Expect more.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No thanks. Seems to do a good job of placing kids at similar levels in the same cohort doesn't cut if for this New Yorker of color from a low-income background. I attended a test-in city middle school/high school.

My kid has seldom been challenged at his DCPS elementary school. I'm tired of being his tutor/teacher and won't risk more of the same for middle school. We don't plan to stay in DC public schools after elementary.

Different parent of color from New York. Agree with everything you’re saying.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NP. OK, let's say Jefferson Academy works out. What next? What are you going to do for high school if you can't afford a private and your kid doesn't get into Walls?

If we don't get a spot at BASIS or Latin 2 for 5th grade, we're hoping for DCI because they have a decent high school. Seems like a much safer bet.

Only way to get into dci is via the Chinese or French track. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP. OK, let's say Jefferson Academy works out. What next? What are you going to do for high school if you can't afford a private and your kid doesn't get into Walls?

If we don't get a spot at BASIS or Latin 2 for 5th grade, we're hoping for DCI because they have a decent high school. Seems like a much safer bet.

Banneker and McKinley. We are planning to look at Gonzaga as well.

Banneker for a white kid? OK, but there are just a handful. Same for McKinley Tech. Our shy kid wouldn't do well as one of the only white kids. SAT scores at Banneker and McKinley are awful for "elite" test-in magnets.

Gonzaga runs you 25K and we couldn't pay that for 2 children, even if both were boys.

What makes you think my kid is white?

We would only do Gonzaga with some aid. But we are practicing Catholic and DS' grades are good so I am hopeful.

[Anonymous]

Didn't imply that your kid was white. I asked because, to my knowledge, Banneker's white population has always been in the single digits.

If you were serious about Banneker as a white family, that would have been interesting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No thanks. Seems to do a good job of placing kids at similar levels in the same cohort doesn't cut if for this New Yorker of color from a low-income background. I attended a test-in city middle school/high school.

My kid has seldom been challenged at his DCPS elementary school. I'm tired of being his tutor/teacher and won't risk more of the same for middle school. We don't plan to stay in DC public schools after elementary.

Different parent of color from New York. Agree with everything you’re saying.

+1.